Red Robin franchise
A Red Robin franchisee operates a full-service restaurant serving burgers and related menu items. At the end of 2025 there were 464 Red Robin locations in the US, 79 franchised and 385 company-owned, so most are run by the company itself.
- Cost to open
- $2.71M–$5.79M
- Franchise fee
- $35,000
- Royalty
- 5%
- Locations, 2025
- 464−6 in 3 yrs
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Company snapshot
- SBA loans
- Not on the SBA Franchise Directory
From Red Robin International, Inc’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
How much a Red Robin franchise costs
Opening one freestanding prototype; excludes site acquisition or rental and liquor license costs an estimated $2,705,000 to $5,785,000. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
Source: Red Robin International, Inc, 2026 filing, page 19
Red Robin franchise fee
The franchise fee is $35,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Red Robin International, Inc, 2026 filing, page 12
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 5% of gross sales, paid each accounting period. |
|---|
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: Red Robin International, Inc, 2026 filing, page 13
Sales and earnings
No figures Red Robin does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.
Source: Red Robin International, Inc, 2026 filing, page 67
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 81 (−4) | 415 | 5 |
| 2024 | 80 (−1) | 407 | 1 |
| 2025 | 79 (−1) | 385 | 1 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
Source: Red Robin International, Inc, 2026 filing, page 68
How Red Robin compares
Of the 18 burger franchises on this site, Red Robin is the 17th cheapest to open and the 10th largest by number of locations.
| Measure | Red Robin | Typical burger |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $2.71M | $1.03M |
| Royalty | 5% | 5% |
| Closed or left per year | 2.8% | 2% |
| Change in franchised locations, 3 yrs | −7.1% | −2.8% |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 12 of 18 |
Typical is the median across the 18 brands in burger franchises.
